Automatic sheet-feeding device.



J. DE BLONAY.

I AUTOMATIC SHEET FEEDING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 26, 1913.

Patented M3113, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I IIIIIHI l IIIIYIIIHIIII Wilnesses J. DE BLONAY.

AUTOMATIC SHEET FEEDING DEVICE. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 26, 1913.

1,088,961 Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

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J. DE BLONAY.

AUTOMATIC. SHEET FEEDING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1913.

1,088,961 Patented Mar.3,1914.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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socmrn ANONYME nns rmnusns AUTOMATIQUES, or LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND.

AUTOMATIC SHEET-FEEDING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

, Application filed May 26, 1913. Serial No.'769-,935.

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and .to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a device for drawing off single sheets of rhomboidal form from underneath a pile of sheets to be used in packing or the like machines, in which such sheets are employed as a second wrapper or are worked up into labels. It often occurs in. devices of this kind that not only one, but two or more sheets are drawn ofl simultaneously from the pile, owing to the great frictional surface (the sheets are usually drawn ofi in their longitudinal direction) and the weight of the pile, the sheets are diflicult to separate. Thls is still more the case, when such sheets are provided with a stamp the stamped parts engaging 'one another and the sheets adhering therefore much tighter together. For facilitating the drawing ofi of a single sheet from a v pile of such sheets, there is provided according to this invention a plate movable to and ffdQin the direction of the longer axis of the sheets. This plate is provided with an opening for the passage of the sheets and a n'iembei movably arranged under the plate projects during the forward movement of the plate through said opening drawing thereby the front end of the lowest sheet backward to such an extent that said end. can pass downward through the opening in the plate. Durin gethe return movement of the plate the latter effects a partial separation of the undermoStsheet from the pile and carries italong during the next forward movement, owing to the friction produced, the downward projecting end ofsaid sheet being then brought in contact with a feeding mechanism, which draws the undermost sheet entirely off from the pile.

A form of carrying the invention .into effect is shown by way of example on the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the device; Fig. 2 is'a plan view corresponding to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an end view, seen with regard to Fig. 1 from the left hand side, Fig. 4 is a section on the line Patented Mar. 3, 1914..

AA of Fig. 1, Figs. 5 to 7 are enlarged details of the device and'Figs. 8 and 9 show parts of the device in different succeeding operative positions.

In carrying the invention into efiect according to the construction shown in the drawing, there is provided a frame consisting of two vertical side plates 2 rigidly connected together at their upper end by means of a plate 1. The plate 1 supports the case 3 for the rhomboidal .sheets 4, (labels) which are arranged one above the other forming a. pile. The form of the case? corresponds to that of the sheets 4 and said case 3 is open on its upper and front sides (Figs. 1-3, 8 and 9). Underneath the case 3 there is provided an opening 5 in the plate 1, which opening but for a part 1' of the plate projecting into the case 3 has the same form as the sheets 4. A. plate 6 slidably arranged in a horizontal direction is supported by the side-plates 2 underneath the plate 1. 'The plate 6 is moved to and fro in the longitudinal direction of the sheets 4 by means of a lever 7 pivotally connected to the machine frame at 7; rails 8 fixed to said plate 6 are supported by means of rollers 9. (Figs. 1-5, 8 and 9). 'The lever 7 is oscillated by means of a in 26 moving in a groove of an eccentrio isk 27 fixed on a driving shaft 28, which also drives by means of the gearing 29 a pair of feeding rollers 24 and25.

The front part of the plate 6 is provided with an opening consisting of a narrow part 10 extending in the longitudinal direction of the plate 6 and awider part 11 running transversely to the longitudinal direction of said plate. The length of the part 11 is greater than the width of the sheets 4. (Figs. 2, 4 and 8, 9). In consequence of the opening 5 provided in the plate 1 the greatest part of the pile rests on the plate 6, only the rear part, viz. the rear points of the sheets resting on the part 11 of plate 1.

(Fig. 1).

To one of the rails 8 of the movable plate 6 is pivotally connected at 12 a rack 12 which is held in its horizontal position by means of a spring 13 pressing the rack 12 against a pin'la. soon as the plate 6 begins to move forward, which movement takes place on referring to Figs. 1 and 5 from the right to the left, the rack 12 engages a toothed wheel 15 mounted on a shaft 16, supported in the frame plates 2. The rack 12 rotates said wheel each time in the same direction, a locking pawl 17 preventing the wheel 15 from revolving in the opposite direction.

In the middle of the shaft 16 isunounted a member 18, consisting of a rubber cam set in a supporting member 19 fixed to the shaft 16. (Figs. 1, 3.and 6-9). Iivotally connected to the support 19 is a supporting finger 20, a spring 21 acting upon said finger 20. The spring 21 has the tendency to draw an arm 22 connected to the finger 20 against a stop pin A provided on support 19, so that the finger 20 is normally held in its uppermost position. The cam 18 sepa rates during each revolution" of the support 19 the undermost sheet from the pile and the finger 20 serves to support the front end of the pile after the separation of the un dermost sheet from said pile. Underneath the plate 6 there is further provided a guide plate 23 for the sheetsdrawn from under-' neath the pile. The front or lower end of this guide projects between the already mentioned rollers 24 and 25 revolving in opposite directions and acting as feeding members. (Figs. 1 and 9).

The operation of the described device is as follows: The shaft 16 and the member 18 mounted thereon are revolved during each forward movement of the plate 6, owing to the action of wheel 15 engaging rack 12, in the direction of the arrows shown in Figs. 5 and 6. As soon as the opening inthe plate 6 is above the shaft 16 the member 18 projects through the part 10 of said opening and it acts then in such manner upon the undermost sheet of the pile that the front end of this sheet is pushed backward (Fig. 8) till its front end, which forms a bulge, is gradually drawn downward through the part 11 of the said plate opening. (Fig. 9). When the plate 6 begins to move backward its front end enters then gradually more and more between the undermost sheet and the pile and separates said sheet from the pile, the downward projecting front end of the separated sheet coming thereby in contact.

with the guide 23. (Fig. 9). The front end of the pile, which no longer rests on the plate 6, is now supported by finger 20, which has been brought to oscillate upward-and v remains in the position shown in Fig. 9 till the plate 6 begins to move again forward. hen the plate 6 begins to move forward it carries the undermost sheet along with it (Figs. 1 and 35.) As

in contact with the two feeding rollers 24 and 25, which pull said sheet forward entirely separating it from the pile and drawing it finally from underneath the pile. At

the same time the separation of the next sheet from the pile begins to take place. In

this manner one sheet after the other is drawn from the pile.

I claim:

1. In a device for separating and drawing off single sheets of rhomboidal form from a pile of sheets used in packing machines, a frame, a case of rhomboidal form supported by said frame, a plate moving underneath the pile to and fro in the longitudinal direction of the sheets and provided with an opening for the passage of the sheets, means for reciprocating said plate and means projecting through said opening during the forward movement of the plate for separating the undermost sheet from the pile.

2. In a device for separating and drawing otl single sheets of rhomboidal form from a pile of sheets used in packing machines, a frame, a case of rhomboidal form supported by said frame, a plate moving underneath the pile to and fro in the longitudinal direction of the sheets and provided with an opening for the passage of the sheets, means for reciprocating said plate, means projecting through said opening during the forward movement of-the plate and drawing thereby the front end of the undermost sheet through the opening in said plate and means entirely drawing off said sheet from the pile during the next forward movement, this sheet being partially separated from the pile by the movable plate during the preceding return movement of the latter.

3. In a device for separating and drawing off single sheets of rhomboidal form from a pile of sheets used in packing machines, a

frame, a case of rhomboidal form supported by said frame, a plate moving underneath the pile to and fro in the longitudinal direction of the sheets and provided with an opening for the passage of the sheets, means 7 for reciprocating said plate, a cam connected to pivotally arranged supporting means, thecam being brought to pro ect during the forward movement of the plate through the opening of said plate drawing thereby the frontend of the undermost sheet through said opening and/means entirely drawing off said sheet during the next forward movement, said sheet being' partially separated from the pile by the movable plate during the preceding return movement of the latter.

4. Ina" device for separating and drawing off single sheets of rhomboidal form from a pile of sheets used in packing machines, a

frame, a case of rhomboidal form supported by said frame, a plate moving underneath the pile to and fro in the longitudinal direction of the sheets and provided with an opening for the passage of the sheet, means for reciprocating said plate, a cam connected to pivotally arranged supporting means operated by the forward moving plate, the cam being brought to project during this movement of the movable plate through the open.- ing of said plate drawing whereby the front end of the undermost sheet through the said opening and means entirely drawing off said sheet during the next forward movement, said sheet being partially separated from the pile by the movable plate during the preceding return movement of the latter.

5. In a device for separating and drawing oii single sheets of rhomboidal form from a pile of sheets used in packing machines. a frame, a case of rhomboidal form supported by said frame, a plate moving nmlerneath the pile to and fro in the longitudinal direction of the sheets and provided with an opening for the passage of the sheets, means fol-reciprocating said plate, a cam connected to a support secured to a shaft supported in said frame and carrying a toothed wheel engaging a rack pivotally attached to the movable plate, said cam being rotated during the forward movement of the table and projecting during this movement of the latter through the opening in said plate and drawing thereby the front end of the undermost sheet through said opening, a locking pawl preventing said toothed wheel from revolving during the return movement of the plate and means for entirely drawing off the undermost sheet during the next forward movement, said sheet being partially separated from the pile by the movable plate during the preceding return movement of the latter.

6. In a device for-separating and drawing off single sheets of rhomboidal form from a pile of sheets used in packing machines, a frame, acase of rhomboidal form supported by said frame, a plate moving underneath the pile to and fro in the longitudinal direc' tion of the sheets, and provided with an openingfor the passage of the sheets, means for reciprocating said plate, a cam connected to a'support secured to a shaft supported in said frame and carrying a toothed wheel engaging a rack pivotally attached to the movable plate, said cam being rotated during the forward movement of the'table and projecting during this movement of the latter through the opening in said plate and drawing thereby the front end of the undermost sheet through said opening, a resilient finger connected to said cam support and supportingthe front end of the pile when the movable plate is in its rear position,a locking pawl preventing said toothed wheel from reframe, a case of rhomboidal form supported by said frame, a plate moving underneath the pile to and fro in the longitudinal direction of the sheets and fprovided with an opening for the passage 0 the sheets, means for reciprocating said plates, a cam connected to a support secured to a shaft supported in said frame and carrying a toothed wheel engaging a rack pivotally attached to the movable plate, said cam being rotated during the forward movement of the table and projecting during this movement of the latter through the opening in said plate and drawing thereby the front end of the undermost sheet through said opening, a resilient finger connected to said. cam support and supporting the front'end of the pile when the movable plate is in its rear position, a locking pawl preventing said toothed wheel from revolving during the return movement of the plate and a guide arranged underneath said movable plate guiding the downward projecting front end of the partially separated undermost sheet during the next forward movement of the plate to two continuously revolving rollers drawing said sheet entirely 0d.-

8. In a device for separating and drawing 01f single sheets of rhomboidal form from a pile of sheets used in packing machines, a frame, a case of rhomboidal form supported by said frame, a plate moving underneath the pile to and fro in the ion; gitudinal direction of the sheets and provided with an opening consisting of a narrow front part extending in the longitudinal direction of the sheets and of a Wider rear part for the passage of the sheets the latter part extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the sheets, means for reciprocating said plate, a cam connected to a support secured to a shaft supported in said frame and carrying a toothed wheel engaging a rack pivotally attached to the movable plate, said cam being revolved during the forward movement of the table and projecting during this movement of the latter through the narrow front part of the plate opening and drawing thereby the front end of the undermost sheet through said opening, a resilient finger connected to said cam support and supporting the front end of the pile. when the movable plate is in 1ts' rear position, a locking pawl preventing said toothed wheel from revolving during the return movement of the plate and a guide arranged underneath said movable plate guiding the downward projecting front end 9. In a device for separating and drawing oif single sheets of rhomboidal form from-a pile of sheets used in packing machines,'a frame consisting of two vertical side plates connected at their upper ends by means of a plate, a case of rhomboidal form supported by said frame, a plate moving underneath the pile to and fro in the longitudinal direction of the sheets and provided with an opening consisting of a narrow front part extending in the longitudinal direction of the sheets and a wider rear part for the passage of the sheets extending transversely to said direction, rails attached to said plate and running over rollers, an oscillating lever connected to the plate and actuated from a driving shaft of the machine, a cam arranged underneath said movable plate and connected to a support secured to a shaft supported in said frame and carrying a toothed wheel engaging a rack pivotally attached to the movable plate, said cam being revolved during the forward' most sheet through said opening, a resilient finger connected to said cam support and supporting the front end of the pile when the movable plate is in its rear position, a locking pawl preventing said toothed wheel from revolving during the return movement of the plate and a guide arranged underneath said movable plate guiding the down- Ward projecting front end of the partially separated undermost sheet during the next forward movement of the plate to two continuously revolving rollers drawing said sheet entirely off.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JEAN DE BLONAY.

Witnesses:

J ULES CUENon, HERMANN SCHELLENBANE. 

